Chapter 10

Ten

The waves crash against the shore, running over the top of my feet. I'm reclined back on a beach chair with a drink in my hand and a woman sitting between my legs, with her head resting on my chest as the sun beats down on us. This, this is heaven.

The woman between my legs rubs her thighs together, making me smirk. She's always wet and ready for me, and I fucking love it.

"Do you need some relief, mo chroí?" I ask as I run my hands over my woman. God, I can't get enough of her either.

"You know I do," she says as she arches into me.

I chuckle. "I love how greedy your pussy is for me."

"I swear, you ruined me. I was never like this before."

I growl as I nuzzle her neck and run my fingers along the top of her bikini bottoms. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

I'm startled awake by a siren going off. Grabbing my phone, I see that it's not an Amber Alert but a security alert for Nikita's place. I open the app to view the camera feeds I have around her place as I squeeze my cock with my other hand, willing it to go down. I have a camera outside her front door, one that overlooks her kitchen and living room, and one that looks down the hallway leading to the bedrooms and bathroom.

Shit, I knew I should have placed one in her bedroom, privacy be damned.

Goddamn her. If she's trying to sneak out at three in the morning, I'm going to paddle her ass red. Then again, she would probably like it. Still, she can kiss her privacy goodbye after this stunt. I'll place a camera in the vent in her room tomorrow, and she'll never know.

Then again, what if it is whoever has been sending her these gifts? I spent half the night looking into it and found nothing. By the time I made it back to the apartment, it was far too late to have the discussion with Nikita like she wanted. I knew we needed to have it, though.

Callum was right. I'm isolating her. The least I can do is try to be her friend.

Growling, I toss the covers off and grab my gun out from between my bed and nightstand. I walk through my apartment and snatch the key for her place out of the bowl Tristano bought and placed next to my front door.

"Why in the hell do I need a table and a bowl next to the door?"

Tristano sighs. "It's for your keys, wallet, change, and shit. That way you don't dump it on the kitchen island."

"It seems like a waste of money."

"Trust me, it's not."

It's been a minute since I've talked to Tris. I should probably send him a text and check in. He has texted and called a few times, but I've been so busy ignoring my wife that I haven't wanted to call him back. I know he will annoy the fuck out of me. That and he will ask about her, and I'm not ready to face how she makes me feel.

Shaking my thoughts off, I let myself into Nikita's apartment. Silently, I curse myself for not putting on a pair of pants when I realize I have nowhere to put the key. Quietly, I set it on her kitchen island and start to clear her apartment.

Finally, I find Nikita in her room, curled up in a ball, backed into a corner as she stares at her bed.

"Nikita." She doesn't react to me saying her name, so I say it again. "Nikita."

I curse under my breath when I realize she's checked out. I look around the room and see that her window is broken. I take a step closer and see that the glass is on the inside, meaning it was broken from the outside.

Which means she didn't do it herself. She wasn't trying to escape.

I turn to look at her, but something catches my eye. Sticking out of the edge of her mattress is an arrow.

What the hell?

My heart catches in my throat when I realize that the arrow is right next to where the sheets are the most messed up and there's an indent on the pillow.

He hit right next to where she was sleeping.

Did the archer mean to miss her, or was that intentional?

I turn toward the window and scan the surrounding buildings. Where could the shooter have shot from? It couldn't have been that far of a shot since it was done with a bow and not a gun. I feel my anger rise when I don't see anything. The street below us is empty and all the lights are off in the building across from us.

I've never heard of an archer taking out people. Is there a new threat in town, or is it something else?

Stepping forward, I carefully move around the glass and grab the arrow. Grunting, I pull it out of the bed.

"Shit." I shake my head when I see that it has a broadhead on it, which is used for hunting.

They shot at her like she was an animal.

Something on the shaft of the arrow catches my attention. I run my hand over it and realize it's a piece of paper rolled around the shaft and taped down. Very carefully, I pick the tape until it gives away. Once the paper is free, I unravel the paper and open it.

Nikita,

I gave you one job, and yet you disobeyed me. You know what happens when you do not do as you're told. I told you to report, and yet you have given me nothing. Nothing! Instead you have given your body to the Irish like a whore. I will not stand for it. You have one week to decide, your life or his. Do not misunderstand me, daughter, you will pay with your death or your body. The choice is up to you.

Her father is behind this? What kind of man harms his own child?

I knew the Russians that previously ran Chicago were ruthless, but I didn't realize it was to this extent. There is an unspoken agreement between all Mafia families that no harm can be done to our women and children, and yet it seems like they don't care if they are willing to hurt their own kin. No wonder Nikolai wants nothing to do with them.

I need to get Nikita out of here and lock this place down. Have the guards search our surroundings to see if they can find anything and call Callum.

I look back at Nikita and see that her eyes are blown wide with shock.

Shit, I need to get her out of here right now.

"Nikita," I say as I slowly approach her.

I bend down and touch her shoulder, only to realize I made a mistake. You never approach a startled animal.

I'min the corner of my room on the floor with the knife I keep under my pillow in my hand. My heart races, and I can hear myself panting. I know I should calm down, but I can't. It just keeps playing in my head, over and over.

Shutting off the light, I pad across the room and lay down in bed. Tucked under the covers, I look at my phone, scrolling through real estate listings. I don't plan on buying a home anytime soon, especially in Chicago, but I can't help it. I love looking at properties all throughout the US.

I wonder what it would be like to live in a tiny town with less than a thousand people. No one would think to look for me in a place that small. It would be a fresh start. Who knows, maybe I could fall in love with a country boy. I could be a farmer's wife, I muse.

A flash from the building across the street catches my attention, and I look away from my phone and out the window. Just then, my window shatters as something slams into my bed.

Oh, my god.

Phone in one hand, I reach under my pillow and grab my knife as I scramble out of bed. I crab crawl to the corner of my room and watch the window. I feel like my heart's about to beat out of my chest, but I'm ready. As soon as someone comes through the window, I'll attack. I won't be anyone's victim.

I hear someone say something, but it sounds like gibberish, and I brace myself. Any moment. Next thing I know, someone touches my shoulder and I attack. I go right for their side with the blade in my hand.

"Fuck! It's me, Nikita. Knock it off." my attacker growls as he fights back.

I try stabbing them again, but I don't make contact. I'm pushed to the ground, the knife knocked out of my hand, and I'm pinned to the ground.

"Get off me!" I thrash under the person.

I hear my attacker grunt as they pin my hands over my head. Fuck this. I know it will hurt, but I try to headbutt the person on top of me.

"Son of a bitch," he growls before pinning me down to the floor, snarling in my face. "Snap out of it, Nikita, it's me."

I blink, my eyes starting to clear. "D-Declan?"

Declan sighs as his body rests fully on mine. "Are you back with me?"

"What are you doing here? How did you get in? Did you come to save me or kill me?" I ramble.

I know he doesn't want to be married to me, but surely he wouldn't try to take me out already. For fuck's sake, he hasn't even given this a shot, and I haven't even done anything to warrant him killing me.

"Hey." He snaps in my face, bringing me back to the present. "There you are. Are you done attacking me now, or do I need to keep holding you down?"

"Attacking you?" I ask, completely confused. Why would I attack him?

"You got me with your knife. Sharp blade, by the way," he grunts as he gets off me.

He holds out a hand, and I place mine in his. Declan pulls me up.

"Thank you," I say as I stand.

"You're welcome. Can you tell me what happened?"

"Can we get out of here first?" I ask as I rub my arms.

Declan's eyes soften. "Sure, let's head over to my place."

I nod and follow him. A guard passes us as we walk out of my apartment.

"I'll be back once I get her settled," he says to the guard before looking back at me. "Follow me," he says as we step inside his place.

Wordlessly, I follow him into his bedroom.

"Make yourself comfortable. I need to clean this up, and then we can talk."

"Okay," I say quietly as I look around his room.

"Shit," Declan mutters from the bathroom.

"Is everything okay?" I ask, walking toward him.

"You got me good. I'm going to have to stitch myself up."

"I can do it."

Hopefully he doesn't notice how badly my hands are shaking. I can feel the adrenaline crashing, but I need something to concentrate on.

Declan looks at me, eyebrows raised.

"What? I know how. Besides, it's not like I can hurt you any more than I currently have," I snap.

"True enough. Can you grab my phone off my bed? I need to send a text while you fix me up."

"Sure." I hurry back into his room and grab his phone before rushing back. "Here."

"Thanks," he says as he trades me the needle and thread for his phone.

Declan posts up on the counter next to the toilet, and I sit on the closed lid. "This is going to hurt."

Before he can say anything, I'm pushing the needle through his skin, making him hiss, but I keep going.

"I was lying in bed, looking at my phone when I saw a flash of light. I looked up just as the glass shattered and felt something hit the bed."

"Your dad sent someone to put an arrow through you."

I freeze as what he says hits me. My father tried to kill me.

"How do you know?" I whisper as I start stitching again.

"There was a note attached to the arrow. I knew your father was a dick, but holy shit."

I shrug. "I'm a disappointment. Always have been. I've never done what he wants."

Declan hums but doesn't say anything.

"What now?" I ask as I cut the string.

"Now I'm going to give you a clean shirt since I got blood on yours. Then you can try and get some sleep while I go meet with the guards and try and figure this out. If you need something from your place, let me know, but as of right now, it's locked down, and you'll be staying with me."

It's not lost on me that I was trying to get Declan's attention and now I'll be staying with him. I didn't want it to go down this way.

"Okay," I say quietly as I stand.

Declan's eyebrows furrow. "Okay? You're not going to fight me on this? I figured you would fight me to stay at your place."

I raise a brow. "What's the point? It's not like I really want to go back there anyway. He tried to kill me. I don't feel safe there. I'm not going to feel safe anywhere."

Declan doesn't respond but turns, walking back into his bedroom. He does as he said he would and hands me a shirt. I slip back into the bathroom and wash the blood off my hands before putting the shirt on.

I walk out of the bedroom and find that Declan has put on a shirt and a pair of sweats.

He clears his throat. "I'll leave you be. I'll try and be quiet when I come back in."

I bite my lip and nod. I want to ask him to stay, but I don't know how.

"What is it?" he asks, clearly reading me.

"D-do you think you could stay until I fall asleep?" I ask quietly.

Declan's eyes soften, and he nods. "I can do that."

"Thank you," I say as I walk over to his bed and crawl under the covers.

I want to make a snarky comment about how he doesn't even have a headboard, but I don't. In this moment, I let our little feud go and enjoy the small sense of safety I feel with him here.

Declan sits next to me with his back against the wall.

"Sweet dreams, Nikita," he murmurs.

"Night."

The last thought I have before I fall asleep is that it's a shame I saw him practically naked and couldn't enjoy it.